Brimbank council is bidding for a share of a $10 million state safety fund to tackle crime and make public areas safer. Under the Creating Safer Places program, councils can apply for grants of $50,000 to $250,000 per project. Officers chose five projects in Sunshine and St Albans, including park lighting, street lighting, event lighting and mobile vehicle barriers. Upgrades to security cameras were excluded because state guidelines make camera renewals ineligible. Councillors voted to submit the proposals and urged the state government to provide broader, long-term safety support.
Crime Stoppers Victoria and Victoria Police have launched a statewide campaign to curb copper theft, which is disrupting essential services across Victoria. There were 2,747 copper and scrap metal property items stolen in the year ending June 2026, with Wyndham, Casey and Melton recording the most incidents. Thieves are targeting power poles, pits and substations, affecting hospitals, public transport, street lighting and communication services. The campaign, Copper Theft: It's more than metal, asks residents to report suspicious activity. Crime Stoppers Victoria chief executive Stella Smith said a single theft can cause widespread disruption.
Nine News journalist Gillian Lantouris has received the 2026 Mersina Halvagis Award from Crime Stoppers Victoria. The award recognises contributions to community safety and crime prevention. It is named after Mersina Halvagis, a 25-year-old Greek woman murdered in 1997 while visiting her grandmother's grave at Fawkner Cemetery in Melbourne. Peter Dupas was found guilty of the murder in 2007 and convicted again after a retrial in 2010. Her father, George Halvagis, has advocated for crime victims for years and volunteered in police detective training.
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Liberal Leader Jess Wilson has told Neos Kosmos about her priorities for the Greek-Australian community ahead of the Victorian State Election, about 40 days away. She proposed an $800,000 Hellenic Festival Fund for Greek community parish festivals and pledged ongoing funding for the Antipodes Festival. Wilson also outlined a $100 million crime prevention fund, with tougher penalties for crime, particularly youth offending. The Coalition's plans also include tax cuts, reduced government spending to address Victoria's nearly $200 billion debt, and measures to address domestic violence. The full interview will be published online soon.
Neighbourhood Watch Tasmania will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a ceremony at the Tasmania Police Academy in Rokeby on Saturday, 17 October. The community-led crime prevention group began in 1986 at Risdon Vale and now has more than 50 groups across the state. President Peter Edwards said the groups act as the eyes and ears of communities, passing information about anti-social behaviour and criminal activity to police. Tasmania Police Commander Joanne Stolp said the partnership remains as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.
Altona Meadows entrepreneur Amanuel Bayu has developed RaeyLink, AI software that detects possible retail theft. The product uses existing CCTV cameras and alerts staff when it spots items being removed from shelves and hidden in bags or pockets. Bayu said the idea followed his own experience of having a prototype product stolen from his home. The software has been rolled out at several retailers across Melbourne's west, including IGA Saltwater in Point Cook. Co-owner Amanjot Kaur said it had quickly helped staff deal with suspected thefts.
Youth night spaces in Fitzroy Crossing and Broome have each marked two years of operation. Fitzroy Crossing's hub has served more than 55,000 meals and engaged over 950 children since opening in September 2024. Police in Fitzroy Crossing say youth offending has fallen and trust with officers has grown. In Broome, an independent evaluation praised the Ngurra Buru Night Space, and crime across three suburbs fell in its first 13 months. Kununurra has opened a temporary night space, with a permanent facility due at the end of the year.
